I thought my career would take me into law, finance, or maybe even Wall Street. Creative production was never part of the plan. But a receptionist role at FCB unexpectedly opened the door to the career I was actually meant for.

I started in consumer advertising, working with brands such as Chase, Citi, Tropicana, Revlon, Nabisco, and Avon. Then an opportunity came along that changed the trajectory of my career.

I worked on an HIV awareness campaign featuring real people living with HIV. One of them was a 19-year-old Black woman whose first sexual experience resulted in an HIV diagnosis. She bravely chose to share her story and use her voice to educate others.

That experience changed the way I thought about the work we do.

I never looked back.

It taught me that storytelling can do more than sell a product. It can create awareness, dignity, connection, and real human impact. Since then, I’ve spent more than 20 years leading productions and integrated campaigns across consumer and healthcare brands, building not only great work, but also strong teams, trusted partnerships, and environments where people feel supported and empowered to do their best work.

Even after all these years, I’m still curious about what’s next, from new voices and new ways of working to the technologies changing how we create. I believe experience should make you more curious, not less.

At the end of the day, I believe great work should also create joy, connection, and memorable experiences, ideally with a little dancing and a margarita involved.

When I’m not working a little too hard, you’ll probably find me at a Broadway show, planning my next trip, trying a new restaurant, getting lost in a book or podcast, or salsa dancing. I’m a proud foodie, an enthusiastic traveler and usually the person who gets the party started.

But my most important role is being mom to my daughter, Zuri, affectionately known as Lil Z. She’s my why, my greatest teacher and the person to do life with.

One day at school, she was asked what her mom did for work. Her answer: “She’s the boss of commercials.”

I have the t-shirt.